This is the third installment in our on-going series about Robert Austin Shearn - A Criminal in the Family.
In Part One - Troubled: A Criminal in the Family we provided a short introduction to Robert Austin Shearn (1877-1940). He lived a troubled life and got into quite a bit of mischief. In that post, I wrote that Robert’s mother, Arabella Cowley, was Robert’s father, Charles Hall Shearn’s, first wife. She was Charles’ second wife. His first wife, Matilda Hart, gave Charles two sons, Charles James Hall Shearn (1858-1933) and James Parfitt Shearn (1862-1877).* Matilda died in early 1875. Charles and Arabella married on 27 April 1876.
For Part Two - 1877: A Fateful Year we looked in-depth at the year 1877 when Robert was born, his mother died, and his brother died.
Part Three - British Military Service
Robert Austin Shearn joined the British Army on 30 Sept 1896, according to his attestation form[1]. An attestation form is essentially a service record. The National Archives explains it like this:
These records are attestation forms from the War Office which were filled in at recruitment and, in most cases, annotated to the date of discharge to form a record of service. They include the date and place of birth[2].
Robert Austin’s record showed his assignment was the Kent Artillery E D R A Regiment. He was nineteen years and five months when he signed up. The record showed he was born in 1877 at St Georges (Hanover Square), Middlesex, London which matches with previous research. There are a lot of questions on the intake portion of the document, twenty in all.
Life and Trade
The first two questions are about his name and his birth. Questions three through twelve are about him, work, where he lived, etc.
3. Question: Are you a British subject? Answer: yes
4. Question: Where do you now reside? Answer: Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, Camberwell, London, Surrey
5. Question: Where have you resided the last twelvemonth? Answer: As above
6. Question: What is the Name and Residence of your present (or former) Master? Answer: Mssrs Pawson & Leaf 9 St Pauls Churchyard, London, Middlesex
7. Question: What is your age? Answer: 19 years, 5 months
8 Question: What is your Trade or Calling? Answer: Clerk
Pawsons and Leafs was a textile firm. It appears that perhaps Robert was a clerk there near St Paul’s in London.
The rest of the questions come with a warning: “You are warned that you are liable to heavy Punishment if you make a false answer to any of the following Nine Questions.”
The first four of the next nine questions are:
9. Question: Are you an apprentice? Answer: No
10. Question: Are you Single, Married, or a Widower? Answer: Single
11. Question: If Married, or a Widower, how many Children have you under 14 years of age? Answer: None
12. Question: Have you ever been sentenced to imprisonment by the Civil Power? Answer: No
Previous Service
The next five questions are about previous service:
13. Question: Do you now belong to Her Majesty’s Army, the Marines, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Royal Navy, the Volunteers, the Yeomanry, the Army Reserve, or the Naval Reserve Force? If so, to what Corps? Answer: Yes 2 V Bn. Royal Fusiliers
14. Question: Have you ever served in Her Majesty’s Army, the Marines, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, or the Royal Navy? If so, state which and cause of discharge? Answer: No
15. Question: Have you truly stated the whole, if any, of your previous Service? Answer: Yes
16. Question: Are you in receipt of a pension for any such Service? Answer: No
17. Question: Have you ever been rejected as unfit for Her Majesty’s Service? If so, on what grounds? Answer: No
The remaining questions:
18. Question: Are you willing to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated? Answer: Yes
19. Question: Did you receive a Notice and do you understand its meaning, and who gave it to you? Answer: Yes Name: Sgt Boultes Corps: 3/Hussars
20. Question: Are you willing to be attested for the term of Six years (provided Her Majesty should so long require your services), as a militiaman for the county of London to serve in the Royal Artillery? Answer: Yes
Page Two of Three
The following page describes the physical appearance of the new enlistee. Robert was six foot and one-half inches tall. He weighed 141 pounds. He had a fair completion with blue eyes and brown hair. He had a scar by his right eye. He was a member of the Church of England. He underwent a medical exam and was found fit for service.
Page Three of Three
The final page of the record lists corps served in, promotions/demotions, dates, ranks, periods of ranks held, and details of service. Robert was in the Kent Artillery E D R A. Under promotions and reductions the record showed him as “attested.” His rank was gunner for the period of 30 Sept 1896 until 17 June 1897. Below the single line in the list is the word Purchased and the date 17 June 1897. This is his discharge date and reason.
Purchased Service
Service could be bought out, and that is what was done here. While Robert signed up for six years, he only served eight and a half months. The remainder of his six years was purchased. To which of course we ask Why? Who paid? How much was paid? The military record does not show any mishap. Did Robert have some trouble in his personal life? Was the military just not for him?
More Questions
More questions arise from the Service document as Robert said he served in the Royal Fusiliers. The 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers was a London based regiment. The National Archives has the records. They are not available online. When and at what age was he in the Royal Fusiliers? What was his job? Were did he serve? When did he discharge? Why and when was he discharged?
Coming up
It was not long after he left the British Army in mid-June of 1897, that he was on a ship for Australia, 16 October 1897. Why? Does this or any of these things have something to do with Robert’s father removing him from his will on 12 March 1898? Let’s see if we can find out, next time.
Sources:[1] https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO96%2F1380%2F116%2F001&parentid=GBM%2FWO96%2F1380%2F1649025
[2] https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14304
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